


The Root of All Evils

by tonyendo



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, BPD, BPD Cecil, Blood, Deviates From Canon, Established Relationship, Kidnapping, M/M, Strexcorp, Strexcorp is Evil, Violence, i don't even know what to tag im sorry, mentally ill cecil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-09
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-08 11:20:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4302855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tonyendo/pseuds/tonyendo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Carlos stands Cecil up on dates one too many times, leading to a fight between the two that pushes them apart. It's hard to kiss and make up when one gets kidnapped, though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this is my first *chaptered* fanfiction for Welcome to Night Vale. I know it's probably kind of short, but I'm hoping the chapters get longer as the plot develops! Also, the title is a work in progress. I literally have been racking my brain for days trying to think of a good one to no avail.

Cecil picked at his dinner, not exactly interested in eating. His chin was rested in his palm. He stared at the food before him, thinking. The reporter was so lost in his own melancholy thoughts that he never heard footsteps. A waitress refilled his drink, giving him a sympathetic look.

"No show, huh? That's gotta suck. I'm sorry, man."

Cecil sighed through his nose, shaking his head. Not once did he look at the man. "Yes, it does quite 'suck'." He never once looked at the young woman, even as she walked away. He no longer was in a very talkative mood.

Carlos was working late. _Again_. This wasn't the first 'no call, no show' date that Cecil's had to sit through. It was something that happened all too often. The man was trying his best to be as patient and supportive with his beautiful scientist and his work, but it was starting to wear thin on Cecil's already-thin patience. The only reason he was sure he hadn't gotten upset with Carlos yet was because he had longed for the man for over a year before finally getting the attention he had been so desperately craving.

Of course, he had expected him to actually _show up_ to their date that night. Of course Cecil always expected him too. He always got his hopes up only to have them stomped out. He should have known Carlos wasn't coming when the Moonlite All-Nite diner got their evening rush and emptied out again- only to have the radio announcer still sitting alone. He should have got up and left when the overhead speakers began to replay the day's news.

His violet eyes traveled to the window, gazing past his own expressionless reflection and at the parking lot. The few cars that were parked close to the entrance reflected the mint green lights that diner. His eyes traveled beyond those to the night sky. The lighting within the diner blocked his view of the mysterious lights overhead. So, he focused on his expression, the only thing he could see over the black of the window.  
His eyes glanced to the reflection of the man who had walked up to his table. He just turned his stare back to his blank expression.

"You're late," Is all he spoke, quietly. "Again."

Carlos winced at his tone, sliding in the booth across from him. "I'm sorry, Ceec. Time got away from me."

"Time doesn't exist in Night Vale, Carlos." He reminded him. Cecil finally turned towards his boyfriend, raising his eyebrows.

Carlos sighed and brushed a hand through his tousled hair. "It's a figure of speech. I'm really, really sorry, okay? One second, we're studying these samples of this weird flower out in the desert, and the next one guy's on the floor, eyes rolled back, I'm freaking out... He lived, I think, but..." He sighed and rubbed his cheek. He appeared to be tired.

Cecil pursed his lips into a thin line. He wanted to forgive Carlos and ask him how the rest of his day went, but he wanted him to suffer first. He had left him there alone for _hours_. Cecil didn't even bother to tell Carlos that the french fries he was reaching for were stale. The man found out on his own once he made a face and choked down the remainder. "You should have told me, then."

"Cecil, he _fainted!_ I had to make sure he was okay!" Carlos looked at him, his eyes widening a little. "I'm here now, though. Isn't that enough...?"

 _No_ , the reporter thought. He simply lifted his glass to his lips as though he were going to take a drink. "Check please," He mumbled, already reaching for his wallet as he set the glass down.

Carlos sighed in exasperation and glanced away for a moment. "You can't be mad at me over this."

Cecil ignored him and slipped a twenty under the tray of sugar packets. That should be enough to cover the tip for the nice waitress he had been passively ignoring for the past few hours. He got up from the booth and started walking towards the exit. He was very aware of Carlos following him. He could hear his worn out sneakers padding along behind him.

"Come on, Ceec!" He said as they emerged into the warm desert night. Cecil continued to walk. He walked right past Carlos's eco-friendly car to his parked next to it. He manually unlocked the door, his hands shaking as he did so.

_He stood you up._

_He didn't mean to._

_I'm in the wrong, aren't I? For ignoring him? He's trying to be nice-_

_This isn't the first time he's ignored you for work._

Cecil internally at war with himself. There was a tightening in his chest. More than anything, he wanted to turn and hug his perfect boyfriend, gaze into those loving eyes and tell him he was sorry for acting like a jerk.

He had to refrain from doing so. Carlos needed a night alone to think of how neglected and alone he had left Cecil feeling. That's what he needed to do, right?

He got the door open after a few moments and slipped into the driver's seat. His movements were robotic as he started the engine. He closed his eyes for a moment and partially rolled the window down for Carlos.

The scientist frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. He placed his hands on the edge of the window, tapping his fingers nervously against the exposed glass. "Please, Cecil. I didn't mean to. I won't do it again, okay? I didn't mean to stand you up-"

"Well, you _did_." Cecil snapped suddenly, his teeth gritting. Part of him was angry for his tone, part of him still angry at Carlos. "You said that last time. This isn't the first time this has happened. It's not even the first time _this week_." He spit, growing cross with his lover. He looked away and closed his eyes again.

"I'll see you later, Carlos." He breathed and put his car in gear. He waited for Carlos to back away from his car just far enough to lean against his own. He didn't look back as he pulled out of the parking space and, a few moments later, out of the parking lot.

The man got caught at a red light up the street. Thankfully the diner was out of sight. Not being able to see it, though, didn't exactly sooth the urge to turn around and jump into the scientist's arms.  
Cecil sighed and dropped his head on the horn. As soon as he did, he jerked up when the horn blared. Two members of the Secret Police stuck their head out of a van that was parked on the side of the street and gave him a few choice words (he thankfully couldn't hear) and obscene hand gestures.

He nodded and put on an awkward smile, waving in apology. "My apologies..." He glanced up once he saw the light change out of the corner of his eye. The man continued his drive.  
Cecil arrived at his apartment a few minutes later. He pulled his phone out of his pocket on instinct, checking for any messages he may have received. He gazed at the screen as his feet carried him up the stairs. All he got was an ugly 'no new messages' display on the screen.

He felt like smashing it. He felt like screaming in frustration.

It was a terrible sensation he was feeling. He wanted, so desperately, for Carlos to have followed him in his car. He wanted text messages and voice mails and missed calls left on his phone. He wanted to know Carlos cared.

But at the same time he wanted to be alone for a while. He didn't want to say anything to Carlos that would upset their relationship. He wanted silence for a day or two to cool off, to build his cheerful and lovingly dependent personality back up again. Then, maybe then, he would formally apologize and try to cuddle his perfect boyfriend. Maybe run his fingers through his perfect hair a few times.

Cecil put his head in his hands and shook the thoughts away. _Don't think about it- don't think about him, Cecil. You're supposed to be angry at him. You've gotta keep yourself from making this worse but you've also gotta try and keep from letting it keep going on._

The man eventually sighed and shook his head out. Bed. He needed to go to bed. It would all be a bit easier in the morning, maybe. Probably not. It never was.

The reporter reluctantly carried himself into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. He changed clothes slowly and simply left the ones he had been wearing on the floor in a messy pile. Normally he would have put them in the laundry bin to be washed, but he wasn't feeling like doing very much. So, he simply crawled into bed, where he gazed out the window and at the lights in the sky until he fell asleep.


	2. Chapter Two

The next morning came around sooner than Cecil would have liked. He awoke feeling worse than he did when he went to sleep. He rolled his head to the side and glanced at his charging phone. Maybe Carlos had messaged him...?

Disappointment flooded his body as he still had no messages. That was... okay, he supposed... Carlos was giving him space. Or was he angry at him...? Cecil did and didn't want to find out. He left his ringer on in case he received a text or phone call.

The reporter went about his morning routine slower than normal. He stood in the shower for forty minutes, staring at the wall and feeling the hot water pound and sting his skin. Afterwards, he got dressed in a crawl, taking as much time as he could. He kept anxiously waiting to see if his phone did anything. Once his coffee was made, he didn't have any more hope.

The drive to the station seemed to take an eternity. Cecil kept the radio turned off, leaving himself alone with his thoughts. Should he say something? _Probably_. Would he? _Probably not_. Carlos needed to fix this, not him. That's how he thought at the time and that's how he continued to think as he walked into the Night Vale Community Radio station.

Despite taking all of the extra time he could, Cecil still had thirty minutes until air time. He took a deep breath and smiled at the newest intern. He needed to put up his reporter front. He was at work- he needed to act like it. Cecil shook the young man's hand and introduced himself. The man didn't exactly pay close attention to his name, the syllables getting lost in his cluttered thoughts. Oh, well. He would be gone within the week, most likely. Poor fellow.

Cecil busied himself for several minutes by visiting Khoshekh and his kittens in the men's restroom. He gave each of them their individual attention. He was careful not to accidentally get killed by one of them. After making sure they all received a good amount of his attention and love, he headed out of the restroom and towards the booth he broadcast from. There were only five minutes until he went live.

As he stood by the desk, he placed his phone on the table without noticing, as he did every day. He settled into the worn leather chair that he had been reporting from for- ...well, lengths of time weren't really _important_ now, were they? After getting comfortable, he skimmed over the news he was expected to announce for the day.

Cecil slipped his headphones over his ears once he was alerted that it was thirty seconds to air time. He took a deep breath and tried to forget his personal issues for the time being. Perhaps he would vent once or twice on the air. He didn't exactly have to mention Carlos by _name_...

Cecil was already falling into his reporter personality. He smiled fondly and traced the mic for a few seconds before pulling his hand away. He glanced up and watched the 'on air' sign light up.

"You cannot 'find' yourself in art, for art 'finds' itself in _you_. Beware of cubism. Welcome to Night Vale." Cecil spoke, folding his hands under his chin. He closed his eyes for a few moments as the opening began to play.

"Hello, listeners. Let's just jump headfirst into today's news, shall we?" He shuffled a few papers around, smoothing one flat on the table.

"Mayor Pamela Winchell has called yet _another_ press conference today. Now, as you all may know, she announced that she will be stepping down from her position as mayor a few months back. Since then, she has been calling press conferences left and right over every little thing. Today, though, she actually spoke to the crowd instead of sitting around in passive aggressive silence. What she said wasn't of very much important, I suppose, since no one expected her to speak, and no one actually wrote anything down or recorded her."

"Listeners, I am not an ignorant man. I know how tempting it is to eat wheat or or wheat by-product. This is a reminder that both it and it's by-product are illegal."

"Seriously. Stop eating bread."

The reporter flipped through his papers once again, looking for the next bit of information he needed to cover. "Mysterious drones have appeared over Night Vale this morning. No one is exactly sure who is controlling them, if anyone even is. No one even knows if they are harmless. Just to be on the safe side, the City Council advises that everyone stay in their homes with the windows tight and your doors barricaded. More on this story later, if there ever is more."

Suddenly, his phone _ding'_ d, causing his head to turn. He was sure the mic had caught the noise. Cecil felt his face grow hot as he saw an email from Carlos. He sneered when he read ' _Urgent!!_ ' as the subject line. He quickly silenced his phone and flipped it over, the sound of the glass hitting the desk. He would pretend like he didn't see that.

Of course. Of course Carlos would not only bother him in the middle of a show, but probably over science work, or something. Cecil was almost boiling with unjustified anger. No text all morning, and suddenly he needs his help...

"Now, sweet listeners, there's a few things that I find absolutly unacceptable. Just, oh, _hypothetically_ some of these things would happen to be: Lukewarm bathwater. Cold food. Cutting someone off because your turn lane is ending. Standing someone up when you have known for _four days_ that you were supposed to be having _dinner_ because _maybe_ a man _fell out, Cecil!_ " Cecil hissed out, sneering. "Now, those are all simply hypothetical, dear listeners. _Hypo-thetical_." He drew out the word.

"...Sorry about that." He said through a level voice, calming himself. "Let us go to a word from our sponsor."

* * *

  
"Goodnight, Night Vale. Goodnight."

Cecil slipped his headphones off and laid them on the desk. The on air sign blinked out. The man swiped his phone off the table and noticed that he had eight text messages from Carlos. He opened the chat and his eyes skimmed over the text bubbles.

_-Cecil? You there? I know you got my email, I heard it._

_-Hey, please report what I sent you- it's really important._

_-Come on, Ceec, this is really important!_

_-You're ignoring me, aren't you?_

_-Cecil, please, this is REALLY important!!_

_-CECIL!_

_-You're ignoring me, now, huh? You're still mad over last night, aren't you? Just because you're mad at me doesn't mean you need to with hold information from your listeners._

_-Meet me outside. Right now._

Guilt settled in the pit of Cecil's stomach. He swallowed and dropped his phone into his pocket. He took a few breaths, gripping the desk for a few moments as he tried to calm down. Don't freak out. He can't be _too_ mad, now, can he?

Oh, he had screwed up.

Cecil balled his shaking hands into fists and tried to relax. He just barely managed to stop shaking when he pushed through the front doors and into the daylight. He squinted in the light and saw Carlos parked right in front of the doors, standing next to his vehicle with his arms crossed over his chest. His lab coat was swaying in the gentle breeze.

And, oh did he look _pissed_.

Cecil walked towards him, keeping his head level. He crossed his arms over his chest as well and stared into his boyfriend's eyes. "You emailed me in the middle of a show, Carlos." His voice came out monotone.

"You've never had a problem with that before, have you? You used to get so giddy when I interrupted a show." He raised his eyebrows. His jaw was set, obviously trying to bite back his anger. "You blatantly ignored me- and over what, being upset that I was just a little bit busy last night and missed our date? Not only did you ignore me, you called me out _on the air_."

"I said it was hypothetical," Cecil retorted. He pursed his lips and looked away. "You didn't text me at all today and then you expect me to help you?"

Carlos shook his head. "I can't believe you would do that, Cecil. Do you know how selfish you sound?"

Cecil looked at him as the words fell from his mouth. Something inside of him seemed to snap and he let loose on Carlos- something he had never done.

"Who do you think you are calling me selfish, Carlos!" He jabbed a finger into his chest. "I waited hours for you- I've waited so, so many hours for you even before last night! You practically ignored me for a year until you realized you wanted to see me! Now, we're finally together, and your science still comes before me! Forgive me for being _bitter_ and _selfish_ and _angry_ , dear Carlos, but maybe I'm just a little bit tired of coming second for you!" He yelled, beginning to shake with repressed, pent up rage.

Carlos's eyes widened as he listened to Cecil go off. He had never seen him angry like this, except over his step-brother, Steve Carlsberg. He stepped away and clenched his fists. He needed to stay calm. "I'm sorry I thought a man was going to die in front of my eyes last night. I'm sorry you threw a hissy fit like the one you're throwing right now." Carlos held up his hands, shaking his head. "I'm sorry you so dependent that you've gotta spend every waking moment with me, Cecil."

Cecil listened, his lips pursed again. Something within him shattered upon hearing those words from Carlos. "Maybe I am dependent. Maybe I need you, Carlos. I'm sorry you apparently don't seem to need me." He said. The reporter regret the words as soon as they fell from his mouth.

Carlos opened his mouth to say something, but his teeth were still clenched.

"Just report what I emailed you tomorrow, and that'll be it." He opened his car door and got in, slamming it. As he pulled out of the parking spot, Cecil turned and kicked the cement post that had been in front of it. He yelled out and grabbed his foot, hopping around. He turned and watched Carlos leave him there.

What did this mean? Was Carlos just angry? Did he actually hate him now? Oh, no, had he driven him off? He hadn't meant to let his anger get the best of him, he really hadn't... Oh, imperfect heavens, he hadn't meant to drive the only man he cared about off... Cecil felt emotions bustling around his chest, threatening to burst through his rib cage and kill him.

He moved to his car, feeling as though his entire body was full of cotton and needles. The radio host collapsed into his driver's seat and put his head into his hands. What had he done?


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating over the weekend! I had a convention to attend, haha. I'm home now so hopefully more updates will come soon!

Carlos ran a hand through his already messy hair. He leaned against his desk, staring at the samples he had collected from the mysterious patch of flowers they had discovered on the outskirts of the town. A mask was settled over his mouth and nose to protect him from from whatever pollen the flora had given off.

He'd never been a botanist- how many times did he have to say that? He knew almost nothing about plants. Since him and his team of scientists were the only ones in the city, though, he had to do something.

Besides, he wasn't going to stand around and mope over the fact that Cecil had exploded on him. He needed to cool off or something. He'd come back around and want to talk to him eventually, right? Sure, Cecil had gotten annoyed that he was busy or late before, but... he hadn't ever been like that. Carlos supposed he had a point to be upset, though. He seemed to have been pushed to his limit that afternoon.

Carlos shook his head and sighed. He needed to focus on his work. There was something about this plant that was bothering him. He was ninety-nine percent sure that the pollen from the flower is what caused his co-worker to collapse and have a seizure at his very feet.

Carlos felt guilty. He should have stopped him- one of the first rules a scientist learned was to not sniff something that looks suspicious. It didn't exactly help that _everything_ was suspicious is Night Vale...

It had happened so fast. One moment, the man was leaning in and taking in the scent of the flower. The next he was on the floor, his eyes rolling back into his skull and foaming at the mouth. It had looked like the man had been posessed.They had managed to get him stable and laying on something more comfortable.

The scientist was currently knocked out on a cot. Occasionally the man would wake up, mumble a few incoherent sentences and fall back asleep. There was no way they would have taken him to the hospital. Knowing Night Vale, the hospital would probably do more harm than good.

Carlos leaned in close to the flower. He examined it, scribbling notes onto his clipboard as he described what it looked like. The flower was golden and seemed to be a cross between a lily and an orchid. That was weird, considering they were in the desert and technically it shouldn't be able to _live_ , but Carlos no longer questioned the strangeness of things.

He took a plastic knife and gently scraped pollen off of one of the stamens. He deposited it on a slider before capping it, making sure it was shut tight. He quickly scribbled on a small sticky note and pressed it smooth against the top of the glass. He would have to process it some other time, for the thought of Cecil was still gnawing away at the back of his mind. What was the Voice of Night Vale doing at that moment? Carlos had half a mine to pull his phone out and ask, but thought better.

He sighed and leaned over, resting his elbows on the metal desk. He now knew that he didn't like leaving Cecil so angry. This wasn't simply 'Steve Carlsberg' angry- this was... deeper. Hit harder. He placed his hands over his face and shook his head for a few moments.

He was starting to regret getting mad. He needed to try and step back and think of how Cecil was feeling about this and think rationally. He was upset that Carlos wasn't spending time with him. Well, he could see why he did- he had mentioned that he had waited for Carlos before he had even showed an interest in him. Now, here he was, actually in a relatively solid relationship with the scientist and still being put behind his work. Carlos was pretty sure he would be annoyed if Cecil put the radio in front of a date, to be honest with himself. He could see why Cecil would want all of his attention.

On the flipside, though, Cecil didn't announce the possibly important situation he was dealing with. He needed to citizens to know to stay away from any potentially dangerous flowers. The scientist didn't exactly know what they did other than knock you out, but... they could be dangerous! And it was wrong for Cecil to withhold that information!

Carlos pushed his fingers through his hair, tugging slightly at the gray streaks by his temples. What to do, what to do... On one hand, he could call up a probably still-fuming Cecil, apologize, and ask for a makeup date. On the other, he could wait it out and wait for Cecil to apologize first before he did. They were both in the wrong, to be frank.

There was a third option, to. The one that he should probably be doing at that moment. Carlos peered between his fingers at the plant in front of him. Screw waiting, he needed to test the pollen samples as soon as possible. He had to find out what they were composed of, why his co-worker had just... fallen out like that.

Carlos uncapped the sample he had just taken and deposited some of the pollen onto a slide. He placed the top on it before sliding it under a microscope. Pressing an eye to the ocular lense, he squinted and adjusted knobs until he got a clear image. Well... it looked like pollen. He examined the particles, wishing he had something to compare them to.

He sighed in his mask and pulled away, scratching his head. That went nowhere really quick. He moved forward again, trying to find something he hadn't seen before. Carlos stared at the pollen intently. Were they... moving? He furrowed his eyebrows and zoomed closer. Before he had a chance to inspect further, he jumped as a hand landed on his back.

Carlos whipped around, his eyes wide. He visibly relaxed as he realized it was only his co-worker. "Don't scare me like that!" He placed a hand on his chest, breathing heavily. "I thought you were still asleep..." He glanced back up, the grin on his face drawing all of his attention. "It wasn't funny. Come on, you should probably be lying down."

"I'm sorry, Carlos." He continued to smile. "But being asleep is not productive. We need to study, to learn. To _grow_. Correct? Is that not our goal as scientists?" His toothy, devilish smile never faltered. It was seriously concerning Carlos.

"... Yeah..." He nodded, his guard up. "Just lay down for a little while, alright?" He tried to lead the other scientist back towards the cot. "Just a little while."

He suddenly yelped as the man fisted his hair. He tugged, causing Carlos's eyes to widen and tears to rise up. He grabbed the man's wrist and dug his nails into his skin. After a bit of struggling, he managed to pull the man's hand away and shove him back. The man lunged at him before Carlos had time to brace himself. He went crashing into the table with the man.

Gasping, He winced as the back of his lab coat was shredded by broken glass. He could feel liquids that had been in the vials and beakers seeping through his clothes. He didn't have time to worry about that as he struggled for his life.

His eyes widened again as he stared up at the man. He was still grinning, a vacant look in his eyes- which were now solid black. "Come on, Carlos. This isn't very productive of my time. We'll have to fix that, won't we?"

Carlos struggled to get some control over the situation. Something about his words and expression... it send a familiar chill through his body, but he couldn't place it.

The man swiped a thick shard of glass from the table. He didn't seem to care that he sliced his own palm open, blood running through his skin and coating the makeshift-weapon. "Without you in the way, Strexcorp can continue with their expansion on your silly little town! Wouldn't that be _swell_ , Carlos?" The man ask, ready to bring the glass down on him.

_Strexcorp!_ Carlos thought. The scientist wedged a foot between him and the other and kicked with all of his strength. The other man let out a winded ' _oof_ ' as he went backwards, holding his abdomen.

Carlos glanced around frantically, trying to find anything to keep him from getting killed. He reached out with the hand that wasn't pinned down, and grabbed the potted flower that he had been experimenting on not ten minutes earlier. He brought the pot down on the man's head. The hardened clay shattered and went everywhere, dirt scattering everywhere and the flower falling onto the remains. The man, thankfully, seemed to reel for a few moments before collapsing backwards, knocked out.

Carlos panted heavily, holding a hand to a burning area on his back. He pulled his hand away and examined it, seeing blood. Great, great...

Ignoring his injuries for the time being, he managed to prop the unconscious man against the wall. He examined him for a few moments while trying to decide what course of action to take. This man... he hadn't been contacted by anyone in Desert Bluffs that he knew of. Really, his co-workers kept to themselves and didn't talk to anyone but him. His eyes slowly drifted to the flower in the floor.

_... No_. There was no way a flower could have done that to a man. Carlos removed his mask, dropping it on the floor and taking a few shuddering breaths. He was reeling himself from the attack but he had to focus.  
He found some rope in a supply closet and managed to tie the man up. With any luck, no one would enter the lab until the next morning. Hopefully that would give him enough time to warn people.

Carlos stumbled into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. He turned his torso, seeing only a small amount of crimson blood soaking through his lab coat. Okay... hopefully nothing too bad. He removed the coat and his shirt, leaving them on the floor. None of the glass was left in his skin, thank the heavens. After bending and contorting to treat the wounds, he grabbed a spare lab coat and buttoned it up. He didn't want to walk around bare-chested.

The man jumped as he heard his phone vibrating on the desk. Carefully, he cleared away some glass that was covering it and wiped it off on the edge of his coat. Cecil...

"Hello? Cecil? You're not gonna believe what just happened..."

" _Carlos!_ " He heard the man's cheerful tone through the speaker. " _You can tell me all about that in a second, sweetheart! I wanted to thank you for these beautiful apology flowers you had delivered!_ "


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I spent extra long on this chapter. Sorry for the wait!

The drive home had been quite lonely. Cecil would glance at his phone at every stop light, longing for a message from Carlos. He doubted he would receive one.

The man sighed and took kept going straight instead of right once he was near his street. He wasn't going home- not right now. He needed to speak with someone who would tell him what he needed, not what he wanted to hear.

So, Cecil ended up out by the old car lot. He parked on the curb and exited the vehicle. The man squinted at the bright ethereal halo that surrounded the house, blinding him. He had to put his hand up as a visor as he walked up the driveway. He knocked a few times on the door, standing back and waiting for it to open.

A tall figure opened the door. It leaned down, being so incredibly tall that it's face had been hidden by the door frame. It tilted it's head at Cecil and blink a few of it's eyes, gazing at him through the screen on the storm door.

"Hello, Erika. I'm here to see Old Woman Josie. Is she home?" Cecil arched his eyebrows, hands behind his back and rocking on his heels. "Also, just by the way... just a reminder, here... you are definitely _not_ real." He smiled up at the being.

The not angel rolled it's eyes and turned it's head. It disappeared for a few moments. Cecil heard a woman raise her voice after a pause. "Oh, Erika, let the poor man inside! Cecil is always welcome here!"

The tall being came in and opened the screen door for Cecil, letting the radio host into the house. Cecil's violet eyes wandered over the familiar surroundings before looking at the short, frail old woman before him. He smiled and leaned down to give the woman a hug. "Josie. It's good to see you again."

"Cecil Palmer! It's good to see you too, son." She smiled and pat his arm with a shaking had as he pulled away. "I just finished making some tea. The angels told me you would be on the way, so I thought I would be a courteous host. Would you like some?"

"Please, if it wouldn't be any trouble." He smiled and followed her into the kitchen and dining area.

One of the Erikas helped Old Woman Josie get two teacups down from her cabinets. Cecil settled himself into a chair and watched. "So, Cecil, what brings you to my home?" She raised an eyebrows as she looked back at him. She poured the steaming tea into both of the cups. Bringing them to the table, she sat across from Cecil. A few of the, again, _not angels_ gathered to enjoy some of the tea as well.

Cecil sighed and began adding sugar to his tea. Like, a _lot_ of sugar. "Josie, I just... I need your insight." He frowned and accepted a spoon from an Erika, using it to stir his tea. "Me and Carlos are... not talking."

"Oh dear..." She frowned, adding sugar to her own tea. She didn't add quite as much as the man across from her. She stirred slowly, watching his forlorn expression. "Did something happen, sweetheart?"

Cecil sighed, brushing a hand through his hair. He tugged at the strands for a few moments before releasing them. "I... May have gotten ill with him." He took a sip of his tea, refusing to look up. "I mean, he stood me up on a date... Granted, yes, someone had a _medical emergency_ , but he was four hours late, Josie! Four hours! He could have called, right?" Cecil furrowed his eyebrows. "I mean... he's done it before, too. Was I right to get angry with him? Should I apologize, or should he...?" He felt bad for asking the woman so many questions.

The woman lifted her teacup to her lips, sipping the hot liquid slowly. She set it down after Cecil stopped talking. She was quiet, thinking through what to say. "Do you feel like you should apologize?" Josie asked after a few silent moments.

"Part of me does, but I mean... Part of me feels like it's also Carlos's fault, you know?" He frowned and stared into his drink. "He promised he'd be there."

Old Woman Josie reached out and gently took Cecil's hand. The action caused him to look up. "I think you should apologize, sweetie. Sit down with Carlos and just explain to him how you feel- calmly, should I add. I know how you can be." She raised her eyebrows and offered him a soft smile.

Cecil blushed a light purple, looking away and rubbing his neck. "Heh... Yeah, I do jump the gun sometimes..."

"Exactly. You love him, don't you, Cecil?"

"More than anything." He looked back at her, his face serious. "Carlos is... He is my everything. I wouldn't know what I would do if I drove him away..." He sighed heavily.

The woman smiled. "See? If you really love him, and he loves you, then I believe you both will work through this. I've never seen you like this with anyone else, Cecil. It's refreshing." She pat his hand before letting go.

The reporter smiled and finished his tea. "Thank you. It's.... Carlos is just..." He sighed and smiled. "He's perfect."

"I know." She smiled back. "That's all you ever say about him, so it must be true."

Cecil nodded and folded his hands together. "I suppose that's enough about me and my troubles. How have you been, Josie?" Cecil asked seriously. "Have your... living companions that are definitely _not angels_ been pleasant company?" A few of the beings seemed to shoot the radio host a glare.

Josie chuckled. "The Erikas have been quite pleasant. They help me often and I'm very thankful for them." Looking at them, she smiled and beamed at them. A few of them fumbled with their teacups as though they were embarrassed, the others just continued to stand around.

Cecil nodded and turned away from them. "That's good." He said, feeling as though his response were rather flat. He wasn't exactly sure how to respond to them.

He watched one of the Erikas suddenly tug on Josie's sleeve. The woman looked up questioningly, but suddenly seemed to understand. "It's about time for my shows to come on, is that it?" The being nodded before leaving to the living room. The others followed in suit. "They simply love watching television with me. Though, sometimes they do like to stand in front of the television." She shrugged and seemed to brush it off.

Cecil stood up and gently placed his empty cup and spoon on the counter. "I suppose that's my cue to leave, hmm?" He teased.

Old Woman Josie chuckled softly. She stood as well, but much slower than Cecil did. She placed her dishes beside the ones he had put down. "You don't have to, but if you have somewhere you need to be then I suppose so."

The man wrapped the shorter woman in a tight hug. "Thanks for listening to me, Josie. I dunno where I would be in life without your advice." He pulled away and smiled sadly.

The woman waved her hand. "Oh, Cecil, you know I always have time to listen to you. You're just going to have to make up for it by going bowling with me eventually."

"Of course," He laughed. "Just call me up whenever you want to go." Cecil followed her out of the dining room. He stopped by the front door and turned back. "It really was great seeing you again. You too, Erikas." He nodded awkwardly.

"You as well. Drop by again soon, hun." Josie smiled to him. Cecil smiled back before leaving the house, shutting both doors behind him.

He found himself in the same predicament he had been in before. The car ride back to his apartment was just as lonely as it had been before. Josie's advice had been great and all, and had cleared his mind as he had hoped, but Cecil still found himself stuck with that metaphorical hole in his chest.

Cecil really wanted to talk to Carlos, but he was afraid of what the scientist would have to say. He was afraid he would still be bitter at him for the words he hadn't even meant to say. He felt the need to apologize, now, and knew that it was probably the logical thing to do. Talk it out, right? That's what Josie had said. All relationships go through rough patches, right?

He hadn't even noticed that he had parked in his usual spot outside of his apartment building. Cecil rubbed his eyes for a few brief seconds before he climbed out of his car. He was so lost in his thoughts that he almost kicked over the vase of flowers that was sitting on his doormat.

_Who would leave me flowers?_ He thought dumbly as he picked the vase up. It was filled with a boquet of gorgeous golden flowers. A bit too bright for his tastes- he would have prefered tulips or roses, but he couldn't complain. Flowers were flowers, correct? Upon closer inspection, Cecil realized he hadn't seen that breed before. He supposed they must be special, then.

The man unlocked the door with his free hand. He shut the door behind him after he stepped inside. Then, Cecil dug through the mass of petals to find the card hidden within. His heart melted as he flipped it over and read the message.

_I'm sorry for being a jerk. xo - Carlos_

Cecil could have squealed with delight. He had apologized first! That would make his apology easier! He dug through his pockets, searching for his phone. As soon as he had it out he was ringing up his boyfriend. He set the flowers on the counter in the kitchen.

It was a few long rings before the scientist finally picked up. " _Hello? Cecil? You're not gonna believe what just happened_..."

Cecil grinned as he heard him. "Carlos! You can tell me all about that in a second, sweetheart! I wanted to thank you for these beautiful apology flowers you had delivered!"

There was a pause on the other line. " _... I didn't send you any flowers_ ," was the eventual reply that came.

"Of course you did!" Cecil rolled his eyes and looked at the card once again. "It says right here- ' _I'm sorry for being a jerk. From Carlos._ ' That's you, unless you have a double around here somewhere. I mean, I _highly_ doubt that, but-"

" _Cecil!_ " He was interrupted. Cecil pouted and set the card on the counter next to the flowers. " _What do the flowers look like?_ "

The radio host rolled his eyes at the scientist's tone. "They're yellow." He said flatly. His curiosity got the better of him and he leaned forward, bringing one to his nose. "They smell great, too, if you were wondering."

He heard something that sounded like skin hitting skin next to the receiver. " _You smelled them._ " It wasn't a question.

"Well, Carlos, what else would one do when they see a nice flower?" He scoffed. "What is your problem? I was calling to apologize because I thought you did, but you just seem like you're still angry at me." He frowned and picked one of the petals off one of the flowers. He crumpled it between his fingers and let it fall to the granite counter top. His head felt fuzzy again. He didn't want to have another anxiety attack- not while he was actually talking to his boyfriend.

Another pause. " _I..._ " Carlos sighed on the other end. " _I'm not mad at you, Cecil. I was frustrated. You know I care about you, but... just... you got so mad at me, but there was something serious going on, Ceec. Sometimes I've got to deal with my work- just like you do. I'm sure if the station needed you for an emergency broadcast you wouldn't show up to a date, right?_ "

Cecil pursed his lips again before sighing. "I suppose you're right... I'm... I'm sorry, Carlos." He rubbed his face. His whole body still felt hot, pins and needles digging into his skin. "I was just... you know how I am with you."

" _I'm sorry, too. It's alright, though, okay? It's alright. Now- about those flowers-_ "

Cecil tugged at the front of his shirt, walking away from the vase. "What about them?"

" _Do you know who left them?_ "

The man started to turn fans on around the apartment. It was hot... He needed to calm down. "No. I wouldn't know who would want to leave me flowers other than you. I mean, I wouldn't know why anyone would... want to sign them as you..." He leaned against the wall. Why did he still feel shaky and panicky?

" _Ceec?_ "

"I'm sorry, Carlos. I just... don't feel well..." He had to hold the wall as his vision swam. "Like, _really_ don't feel well."

The reporter could hear cursing on the other line. " _Stay right there, Cecil. I'm coming to you. You're at your apartment, right?_ "

"Yeah." He grit his teeth as he heard ringing start in his ears. "I'm..." He froze up as he heard his door starting to open. "Who is it?"

" _Who is who? Cecil?_ "

Cecil put the phone down by his side, craning his neck and trying to see the front door. "Who's there?" He fought through his current state, stumbling into the living room. He eventually gave out and hit the floor before he could see whoever had opened the door, his hands supporting him. The phone clattered to the side. Cecil groaned and held his head in his hands after falling onto his side. Black was staring to seep into the edges of his vision.

"Daniel," A familiar feminine voice spoke. "This is a tough one, isn't he? Would you mind grabbing him?"

"Yes, Ms. Mallard." Came a monotone voice, also familiar.

Cecil shakily reached for his phone. The call was still going... Hopefully Carlos was hearing what was going on.

"Oh, I've got that, buddy! Don't fret!" Lauren reached down and swiped the phone up before the radio host could grab it. She eyed the screen before cutting the call short. "Aww, talking to your scientist boyfriend? That's so cute." She smiled, sarcasm dripping into her tone. "I hope you enjoyed the flowers, Cecil. I really do. Special gift from Strexcorp."

"What..." He managed to get out. Cecil groaned and laid his head on the ground, unable to fight the urge to stay awake anymore.

"Boy, he really is a fighter... _Daniel_ , hurry it up...!" The last thing Cecil could comprehend before he blacked out was feeling someone confining his hands, then lifting him up. Then, a darkness took over his vision and clouded his senses, darker than the void above.


End file.
